Chocolate Love Cake

I felt it was appropriate to start my blogging with my absolute favorite recipe. Everytime I make this cake it is a HUGE crowd pleaser. Something in the texture and richness of flavor speaks to the eater, lulling them to believe the baker loves them and believes they deserve richness of life.
BTW: The cookbook this recipe comes from is my FAVORITE cookbook. Hopefully I'll have the opportunity to share more, but I encourage anyone who likes to cook to get their own copy.

Chocolate Love Cake
Recipe from "Back to the Table: The Reunion of Food and Family" by Art Smith

Cake
Butter, for the pans
1 cup Vosges Haut-Chocolat Astec Elixir Cocoa (SEE NOTE FOR SOURCE)
( OR unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder (I JUST USE HERSHEY'S COCOA)
1 cup boiling water
1 cup water, at tap temperature
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons backing soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure-ground ancho chile powder (FOUND IN TEXAS AT LOCAL HISPANIC MARKETS)
(use ancho chile powder only if not useing Aztec Elixir Cocoa)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 vanilla beans, preferably Mexican, ground in a coffe grinder until very finely chopped, OR
2 teaspoons vanilaa extract (I JUST USE EXTRACT)

Filling
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
3 1/2 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon pure ground ancho chile powder
1/8 teaspoon pure ground chipotle chile powder, optional
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

Frosting
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pesticide-free, edible flowers, such as nastriums and roses, for garnish


Position a rack in the center of the over and preheat to 350 F. Lightly butter two 9 X 2 inch heart-shaped or circular cake pans. Line the bottoms of the pans with wax paper. (LINING WITH WAX PAPER SHOULD NOT BE SKIPPED!) Dust the sides of the pans with flour and tap out the excess.

To Make the cake:
Whisk the cocoa and boiling water in a medium bowl until smooth. Whisk in the water and let stand until the mixture cools.
Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and chile powder, if using. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with a hand-held electric mixer at high speed until the mizture is light in color and texture, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then the chopped vanilla beans or extract. On low speed, add the flour in 3 additions, alternating with 2 additions of the cocoa mixture, scraping the bowl often, until smooth. Spread the batter evenly in the pans, filling each pan no more than two-thirds full (discard any extra batter or pour into muffin tins to bake as cupcakes).
Bake until a wodden touthpick insterted in the centers of the cakes comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 5 minutes. Invert onto the racks, remove the wax paper, and cool completely. (The cake layers can be prepared up to 1 day ahead, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, and stored at room temperature).

To make the filling:
Bring the cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over high heat. Place the chocolate in a medium bowl and pour the hot cream over it. Let stand until the chocolate softens, about 5 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Whisk in the ancho powder and chipotle powder if using. Let stand until completely cooled, about 1 hour.
Using a hand-held electric mixer at medium speed, beat in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a tiem until the filling is smooth. Do not overbeat.

To make the frosting:
Whip the cream, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla in a chilled medium bowl with a hand-held electric mixer on high speed until stiff. Do not overbeat.

To put it all together:
Place 1 cake layer, upside down, on a serving platter. Spread with the chocolate filling. Top with the other cake layer, right side up. Spread a thin layer of the frosting over the top and sides of the cake, to seal the dark crumbs onto the cake so they don't mar the white frosting. now frost the cake with the remaining frosting. Now frost teh cake with the remaining frosting, slathering it on and trying not to disturb the first coat. Refrigerate, uncovered, until read to serve. (The cake can be prepared up to 8 hours ahead. If chilled, let the cake stand for about 30 minutes before serving.) Just before serving, decorate with the flowers.

NOTE: Vosges Haut-Chocoat Aztec Elixir Cocoa is a combination fo cocoa, vanilla, spices, and ground chiles. You can find it along with other fantastic truffles and specialty chocolates at www.vosgeschocolate.com.